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Skriven 2005-03-09 23:33:20 av Whitehouse Press (1:3634/12.0)
Ärende: Press Release (0503095) for Wed, 2005 Mar 9
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President Discusses Energy Policy
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For Immediate Release
Office of the Press Secretary
March 9, 2005

President Discusses Energy Policy
Franklin County Veterans Memorial
Columbus, Ohio


˙˙˙˙˙In Focus: Energy

2:08 P.M. EST

THE PRESIDENT: Thanks for the warm welcome. Thank you all. Thanks very
much. It's great to be back in the capital of Ohio. I have spent some
quality time here. (Laughter and applause.) I have a history in Columbus:
my grandfather, Prescott Bush, was raised right here. And down the road, my
maternal grandfather, Marvin Pierce, was raised in Dayton, Ohio. I had to
bring that up, otherwise Mother would call me. (Laughter.)

I appreciate many of the great qualities of Columbus, Ohio. I appreciate
the fact that you take your sports seriously. (Laughter.) You've got the
mighty Buckeye football team. (Applause.) Understand there's going to be an
interesting inter-state clash next September the 11th -- mighty Longhorns
will be coming up, make sure you treat them as hospitably as you treated
me. (Applause.) Looks like the basketball team can play pretty well.
(Applause.)

And this auditorium has its own sports tradition. Last weekend you hosted
Arnold Schwarzenegger's international bodybuilding competition. (Applause.)
When the Vice President heard I was coming, he asked me to pick up an
application form for next year's competition. (Laughter.) Matter of fact,
the last time I was in Columbus, I was introduced by Arnold. Yes.
(Applause.) My, have times changed. (Laughter.) Now I get introduced by
Bodman, who is going to make a great Secretary of Energy, but not such a
good bodybuilder. (Laughter.) But I appreciate your willingness to serve,
Sam. We've got a lot to do.

And that's what I'm here to talk about: the importance of a sound national
energy policy. Today, I visited a fascinating company called Battelle.
Really interesting place. (Applause.) The workers there have a motto. They
call it "the business of innovation." Pretty interesting, isn't it? The
business of innovation -- to me, it defines the entrepreneurial spirit
which exists in that building. The spirit says there's nothing we can't do
by working together. That's what it says. There are important problems to
solve in America, and why don't we just put our minds to it, to use our
skills and our talents to come up with innovative ways to deal with the
energy challenges of today and tomorrow. That's what I saw at Battelle.

People in Washington can learn from that example. We need to work together
in Washington. We have had four years of debate about a national energy
bill: Now is the time to get the job done. (Applause.)

I want to thank the members of Congress who have joined us today. Pat
Tiberi, appreciate you coming, Congressman. And Dave Hobson. (Applause.)
Very nice of them to take the afternoon off. They flew down on Air Force
One, and they're flying back on Air Force One. It's a convenient way to
travel, isn't it, guys? (Laughter.) I look forward to continuing to talk to
you about Ohio and its needs and issues. I'm proud my friend -- the
Governor is here. Governor Taft, thanks for coming. It's good to see you
again. Appreciate you being here. (Applause.)

I know the Speaker is here. And I had the honor -- Speaker, good to see
you. I had the honor of meeting the leader of the Senate out at Air Force
One. I want to thank all the House folks who are here. I want to thank the
local and -- the local officials who are here. I want to thank the industry
and business leaders who are here. This is a subject that should interest
you, whether or not we've got the capability of working together to come up
with a national energy plan.

I want to thank the good folks at Battelle -- Carl Kohrt and Mort Collins,
Bill Madia. I want to thank all the employees who were so gracious to me
and Sam. I want to thank Greg Frank. I want to thank you all for coming. I
appreciate your interest in your country and its future.

Today, when I landed, I met Betty Cheney. Betty is a volunteer with a local
Big Brothers-Big Sisters program. She mentors a 5th grade girl. She takes
time out of her life to make America a better place by lending her talent
and love to help somebody.

The reason I bring that up, there's a lot of talk about the might of the
United States of America, and we are mighty and we are influential. We'll
keep using our influence to spread freedom and peace. (Applause.) We'll use
our influence to protect the homeland; we'll continue to work to grow our
economy, which is what I'm here to talk about. But the true might of
America is not the size of our military or the size of our wallet, it is
the size of our hearts. (Applause.) The fact that Betty Cheney has heard a
call to love a neighbor like she would like to be loved herself is
indicative of the true strength of America. Betty, I want to thank you for
setting a great example by serving in Big Brothers and Big Sisters, by
mentoring a child. If you want to serve your nation, if you want to be a
part of a hopeful America, feed the hungry, find shelter for the homeless,
love somebody who hurts and together we can change America one heart and
one soul at a time. (Applause.)

As the people of Ohio know too well, our economy has faced historic
challenges. Over the past four years, we've had a stock market decline. We
faced a recession, we had a terrorist attack, we've had ongoing war. But
we've confronted those challenges head on with good economic policy. And,
today, our economy is the fastest-growing of any major industrialized
nation. Last Friday, we got more hopeful news about the American economy:
America created more than 260,000 new jobs in February; we have now added 3
million jobs over the last 21 months and more Americans are working today
than at any time in our nation's history. (Applause.)

I want to assure you that we will not rest. We know there are parts of the
country which still struggle; parts of Ohio still struggle. Manufacturing
communities were hit hard here in this state. I listened very carefully to
the workers and small business owners and local officials as I traveled
your state last fall. And we're making -- I know you're working hard to
recover. And there are some positive signs when it comes to manufacturing:
factory output grew at its fastest rate in five years. That's positive for
workers here in Ohio. But there's more to do.

This country must be the best place in the world to do business, to make
sure that people can find work. We need legal reforms. The scales of
justice must be balanced and fair. (Applause.) And we're making progress. I
signed a class-action reform bill which will help make sure that people
aren't driven out of work. I'm hopeful we'll get an asbestos bill that will
make sure those folks who have been harmed by asbestos actually get paid,
without driving good employers out of work.

One of the messages I heard here in Ohio is you're losing too many OB/GYNs
because of frivolous and junk lawsuits. We need national medical liability
reform now, and Congress must deliver. (Applause.) We'll continue to open
up markets for Ohio products, but make sure the playing field is level.
We'll make sure tax policy is reasonable and fair on our entrepreneurs. We
don't need to be raising taxes. Taxes need to remain low so people feel
comfortable about investing.

I'm going to continue to work on Social Security. Social Security is an
important issue. It's an important issue because we've got unfunded
liabilities that run in the trillions. This is debt to future generations
of Americans. Unless we do something about it, we're not going to be able
to pay for it without wrecking the economy. I want all seniors here and
seniors listening to know that nothing will change for you. You will get
your Social Security check. The government will keep its promise. I don't
care about the political rhetoric. I don't care what the flyers may tell
you, or the TV ads, you're going to get your check. (Applause.)

But because baby boomers like me will start retiring in 2008 -- (laughter)
-- when I'm 62 years old, and because there's a lot of us, and because
we're living longer than a previous generation, and because we have been
promised more benefits than the previous generation and because there are
fewer workers paying into the system to pay for people like me, younger
workers need to be worried about whether or not they're going to be able to
have a retirement safety net of their own. Grandmothers and grandfathers
need to be worried about their grandchildren when it comes to Social
Security. I have put the issue on the table because I believe the President
must confront problems and not pass them on to future Presidents and future
generations. (Applause.)

And I'm going to talk about this issue a lot. And I welcome Republican
ideas, and I welcome Democrat ideas. It is time for us to set aside the
partisan bitterness of Washington, D.C. and come together and make sure
there's a Social Security system for young Americans. (Applause.)

In order to make sure we have a growing economy, in order to make sure
people can find work, in order to make sure the entrepreneurial spirit is
strong in America we need affordable, reliable, secure supplies of energy.
And that's what I want to talk about today.

Everybody who drives a car or runs a farm understands the importance of
energy. Every small business, which dreams about expanding his or her --
every small business owner which dreams about expanding his or her own job
base, worries about energy. Families worry about energy. And higher prices
at the gas pump and rising home heating bills and the possibility of
blackout are legitimate concerns for all Americans. And all these
uncertainties about energy supply are a drag on our economy. It is
difficult for entrepreneurs to risk capital when they cannot predict the
size of next month's energy bill. If small businesses have the choice
between adding a new worker or keeping the machines running, they're not
going to do much hiring.

As you learned here in Ohio in the summer of 2003, it's hard to plan with
confidence if you're not sure the lights are going to stay on. During my
second week as President, as Sam pointed out, I put together a task force
to address America's energy challenges. Energy consumption was growing,
costs were rising, we had an unreliable power grid, and we were dependent
on foreign energy. This task force sent back a hundred recommendations to
improve energy policy, and we put some of them into effect: I mean, we
streamlined the permit process to encourage exploration for oil and gas; we
filled the Strategic Petroleum Reserve to improve our security during a
time of war; we promoted new forms of energy conservation at government
facilities; we increased weatherization assistance by nearly 50 percent to
help more low-income families insulate their homes and save on their
heating bills. We've done some practical commonsense things.

But I readily concede, these are first steps. This country must do more,
and it requires legislative approval by the United States Congress. To meet
America's energy needs in the 21st century, we need a comprehensive
national energy policy. It's time for Congress to act, as I said earlier.

A sound energy bill must meet four objectives: it must promote conservation
and efficiency, increase domestic production, diversify our energy supply,
and modernize our energy infrastructure. And as we pursue all these goals,
we will also uphold our responsibility to be good stewards of the
environment.

The first objective of a sound energy bill is to encourage the use of
technology to improve energy conservation. We're constantly searching for
smarter ways to meet our energy needs. We're constantly looking for new
technologies to help Americans conserve. I mean, it makes sense, doesn't
it? If you want to become less dependant on foreign sources of energy,
we've got to be better conservers of energy. The more we conserve, the less
we use; and the less we use, the less dependent we are on foreign sources
of energy.

One of the reasons I went to Battelle was I wanted to see what innovative
ideas they had about energy conservation. What were some of the true brains
of America thinking about when it comes to encourage energy conservation? I
saw an efficient, affordable water heater than extracts heat from the air
and converts it into energy that can warm your water in the shower. See,
that's energy conservation. The Department of Energy is supporting dozens
of other creative technologies just like that one that will increase
conservation.

We're helping to develop lighter automobile parts that will save weight
without sacrificing safety. That is a good way to conserve energy. We got
flat panel computer screens that can operate around the clock and consume
very little power. That makes sense. There's traffic signals that give off
more light while taking in less electricity. Today, you can store your food
in super efficient refrigerators that use less energy than a 75-watt light
bulb. I mean, we're making progress about using technologies that will
enable us to conserve.

We're also applying practical technology to help Americans make better
choices about energy consumption. We want to help you make good choices so
you become better conservers of energy. Devices called smart meters show
how much energy you're using and then calculate exactly what that energy is
going to cost you. Seems like a practical idea, doesn't it? Here's what
you're using, if you use it at this hour, this is what it costs. It'll help
you plan. It'll help you better conserve. It'll give you incentives to turn
off the lights the next time you leave the room. The federal government is
helping consumers make wise decisions at the store by placing Energy Star
labels on the most efficient products. If you're interested in joining in
this important cause of conserving energy, look for the Energy Star label.

I've proposed tax credits for drivers who choose fuel-efficient hybrid
vehicles. We want to encourage you to make good choices. Innovators are
advancing technology every day, and America needs to be the world leader
when it comes to energy conservation.

Secondly, we need to encourage more energy production at home. If you want
to become less dependent on foreign sources of energy, you need to find
more energy here. The need is clear. Over the past three years, America's
energy consumption has increased by more than 3 percent, yet our domestic
energy production has decreased by 2 percent. That means relying more on
energy from foreign countries. That's what that means.

We now import more than half our oil from abroad. Think about that: more
than half of the oil that we consume in order to maintain our lifestyles
comes from overseas, or abroad. And our dependence is growing. We're
becoming more reliant upon natural gas, and a lot of it is coming from
outside our borders. I believe that creates a national security issue and
an economic security issue for the United States. And that's why it's
important for us to utilize the resources we have here at home in
environmentally friendly ways.

Increasing our energy security begins with a firm commitment to America's
most abundant energy sources -- source, and that is coal. Our nation is
blessed with enough coal to last another 250 years. We've got a lot of it.
In Ohio, you know the importance of coal firsthand. If you don't, listen to
this: when you plug in a television, or charge a cell phone, or use
electricity there's a 90 percent chance that that electricity is coming
from coal. Coal is at the heart of Ohio's energy strategy, and it should be
at the heart of America's energy strategy.

Coal presents an environmental challenge. And I know that. Most of Ohio's
coal is high in sulfur. And that makes it harder for your good state to
meet strict air quality standards. That's why clean coal technology is
critical to the future of this country. It's critical to the future of the
state. It's critical for the job creators of your state. It's critical for
the working people of your state. It's critical for this country.

When I ran for President in 2000, I pledged to invest $2 billion over 10
years to promote research into clean coal technologies. I kept my promise.
My budget for 2006 brings clean coal funding to $1.6 billion over five
years, and that puts us on pace to exceed my pledge by more than 50
percent. It's an important pledge, because I believe by utilizing the
brains of America, like those I met at Battelle, we can come up with ways
to burn coal cleanly.

And we're doing some interesting things. We're funding research into
innovative projects, such as the process for converting coal into
clean-burning gas. Think about it. We're taking coal, there's a process
that converts it into gas that burns cleanly. A company in Cincinnati is
cooperating with a coal plant in New Mexico to eliminate almost all sulfur
emissions and turn the byproduct into a usable fertilizer.

Let me tell you something about something I just saw at Battelle that I
think you'll find interesting. We got what's called a FutureGen Project.
This is a groundbreaking development. We're developing technology so that
we can build the world's first coal-fueled zero emission power plant. I
believe it's possible. I believed it was possible before I went to
Battelle, then I talked to the people who know what they're talking about
-- (laughter) -- people on the front edge of research and development, and
now I really believe it's possible. Someday -- someday, we'll be able to
energize this country. (Applause.)

I know it's hard. Most people have said burning coal without creating
pollution was as likely as the Red Sox winning the World Series.
(Laughter.) Anything is possible. Clean coal technology advances -- will
advance, and when it does, our society will be better off. We'll become
less dependent on foreign sources of energy.

To produce more energy at home, we need to open up new areas to
environmentally responsible exploration for oil and natural gas, including
the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge -- that's called ANWR. (Applause.) The
Department of Interior estimates that we could recover more than 10 billion
barrels of oil from a small corner of ANWR that was reserved specifically
for energy development. That's the same amount of new oil we could get from
41 states combined. Thanks to advances in technology -- and Sam was
briefing me on what he saw, he just went up there to look at the technology
that would be used -- we can now reach all of ANWR's oil by drilling on
just 2,000 acres. Two thousand acres is the size of the Columbus airport.
By applying the most innovative environmental practices, we can carry out
the project with almost no impact on land or local wildlife. And that's
important for you all to know.

You see, developing a small section of ANWR would not only create thousands
of new jobs, but it would eventually reduce our dependence on foreign oil
by up to a million barrels of oil a day. And that's important. (Applause.)
Congress needs to look at the science and look at the facts and send me a
bill that includes exploration in ANWR for the sake of our country.

The third objective of a sound energy bill is to diversify our energy
supply by developing alternative sources of energy. If future generations
can count on energy in many different forms, we'll be less vulnerable to
price spikes and shifts in supply. To create more energy choices, Congress
should provide tax credits for renewable power sources such as wind and
solar and landfill gas. Congress needs to continue strong support for
ethanol and biodiesel. (Applause.) We're going to continue to figure out
ways to grow our way out of dependence on foreign oil. Someday somebody is
going to walk in and say, well, we got a lot of soy beans, Mr. President.
And we're less dependent on foreign sources of oil because of biodiesel.
(Applause.)

To ensure a diverse energy supply, we need to promote safe, clean nuclear
power. Nuclear power can generate huge amounts of electricity without ever
emitting air pollution or greenhouse gases. America hasn't ordered a
nuclear power plant since the 1970s, and it's time to start building again.
(Applause.) Many people have concerns about the safety of nuclear power. I
know that, and so do you. Yet, decades of experience and advances in
technology have proven that nuclear power is reliable and secure. We're
taking early steps toward licensing the construction of nuclear power
plants, because a secure energy future must include nuclear power.

Another vital energy project is the hydrogen fuel initiative. When hydrogen
is used in a fuel cell, it has the potential to power anything from a
computer, to a cell phone, to an automobile that emits pure water instead
of exhaust fumes. At Battelle, engineers have found a way to use hydrogen
fuel cells to power the electronics on a Bradley Fighting Vehicle. The
world is changing because we're thinking differently. Technology will help
us leap the old, stale debate of energy and environmental policy. We're
providing $1.2 billion over five years to help move hydrogen-powered cars
from the research lab to the dealership lot. (Applause.) With a bold
investment now, we can make it possible for today's children to take their
driver's test in a pollution-free automobile. It won't help them with
parallel parking -- (laughter) -- it's sure going to help us all be better
stewards of our environment.

The final objective of a sound energy bill is to find better, more reliable
ways to deliver energy to consumers. Some parts of the country, homes and
businesses are receiving 21st century power through infrastructure that was
made decades ago. Transmission lines and pipe lines and generating
facilities are deteriorating. Different regions share electricity over
unreliable transmission lines. These strains on the system lead to higher
prices and they lead to bottlenecks in delivery. And just one piece of the
power grid -- if one piece fails, you in Ohio know the results: darkness
across the map.

Congress can solve these problems in a few simple ways. Current law makes
it optional, rather than mandatory, for power companies to ensure
reliability across the electricity grid. Most of you consider it mandatory
for the light to come on when you flip the switch. (Laughter.) Congress too
needs to make sure that reliability on the electricity grid is mandatory,
not voluntary, when it comes to our power companies. (Applause.)

We need to repeal the outdated rules that discourage investment in new
power infrastructure. Incredibly enough, there's a law on the books from
the Depression that prohibits new investment when it comes to expanding the
transmission of electricity. That needs to be repealed. I mean, we're
living in the 21st century. We've got a lot of work to do to make sure that
we have reliable sources of electricity coming into our homes and to our
businesses.

We need to make sure local disputes don't cause national problems when it
comes to developing an infrastructure. Federal officials should have the
authority to site new power lines. Listen, we've got modern interstate
grids for phone; we've got a modern connection with our highways; America
needs a modern electricity grid, too, in order to make sure that we can
compete in a global economy, in order to make sure people can find work.

And as we grow our economy -- and it's growing -- and as we improve our
energy supply, and you just heard a comprehensive strategy to do so, we'll
also improve the environment. Too many people in Washington and around our
country seem to think we have to pick between energy production and
environmental protection, between environmental protection and growing our
economy. I think that's a false choice. (Applause.)

Our economy is growing, and over the past four years, our air and water are
cleaner. Over 30 years, our economy has more than doubled, air pollution
has been cut in half. (Applause.) What I'm telling you is there are
practical ways to work together to use technology to make sure we can
maintain our lifestyles, improve our lifestyles for future generations and
be good stewards of the environment. And I've got some interesting ideas on
that. As a matter of fact, I've sent a good, innovative plan to Congress
called the Clear Skies Initiative.

Clear Skies uses the power of free markets to reduce power plant pollution
by 70 percent without disrupting the energy supply or raising electricity
prices. Let me tell you something, you need this bill for you in Ohio.
That's why George Voinovich, a fine United States Senator, has been working
so hard to get this bill out of the United States Senate. Clear Skies would
allow almost every county in this state to meet strict new air quality
standards, while being able to keep your commitment to coal, and therefore
to reliable energy supplies, and therefore to jobs. Congress is debating
the Clear Skies Initiative, but I'm going to act to get results.

Soon the Environmental Protection Agency will finalize two rules similar to
the Clear Skies Initiative. The Clean Air Interstate Rule will provide Ohio
and eastern states with a practical, market-based solution to the problem
of power plant pollution that drifts from one state to another. This will
help you. The Clean Air Mercury Rule will provide the first ever national
cap on mercury emissions from power plants and result in a 70 percent
decrease in mercury levels. These rules provide some of the same benefits
as Clear Skies, but they are not a substitute for effective legislation. To
protect the environment, to protect jobs here in Ohio and around our
country, Congress needs to get a good Clear Skies bill to my desk now.
(Applause.)

Thank you for letting come and talk about some of the big goals that I've
set for our nation's energy policy. I'm counting on the boldness and vision
of the American people to meet them. I'm counting on the letters and phone
calls from the American people to let Congress know now is the time to act.
History has shown us that American innovation has never been short of
supply. I mean, we're an innovative society. Think about how much life has
changed for the better. I think about how much life will change for the
better because of technology.

And there's no doubt in my mind, we can leave behind a better America. No
doubt in my mind, we can become less dependent on foreign sources of
energy. There's no doubt in my mind, we can lead better lives through the
use of new innovative technology.

Again, I want to thank the entrepreneurs at Battelle, the scientists and
thinkers at that important organization for showing me firsthand what's
possible. I want to thank you all for giving me a chance to share my vision
for sound energy policy, but, hopefully, you can get my sense of optimism
about the future for our great country. There's nothing America can't
achieve when we put our mind to it. It's an honor to be here. It's an honor
to be the President of such a fabulous nation.

May God bless you all. (Applause.)

END 2:43 P.M. EST
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